For a number of years now I have been so lucky to receive an invitation to fish with some great friends on some superb private chalkstreams on the Wiltshire Avon & Wylye.
Last Friday saw me travelling South to meet up for a meal, a few 'pre-fishing' drinks at the Hotel for a good old catch up before our 2 days fishing.
The opportunity to sight fish for grayling in clear streams is one that I look forward to each year as it really helps to increase my understanding of  the behaviour and reactions of grayling when presenting different flies with different methods.
It also seems to take me an age to adjust from the freestone rivers I usually fish but after half an hour or so, I seem to get into the right rythym.
Being able to see every flinch, flicker and sometimes inperceptible movement makes the difference to a fish caught. It always amazes me that despite all of the methods to help detect takes how a grayling can take a fly, hold on to it and then eject it without any indication on even our most sensitive leaders. Being able to see that slight movement is all it takes to raise the rod and see a grayling twisting and turning in it's underwater world.
Now, I'm back home I will just have to imagine seeing a grayling taking the fly ....or perhaps introduce a lot more induced takes  just in case  ;-)   wink wink

Hang on a moment.........I suppose I could just go and visit the chalkstreams more often......

Small yet perfect in every way.....


It's looking at me at that moment before unintentional release....


Chalkstream Quality......